Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 156945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Even though the creature moved without making a sound, Gray could still sense it all too close behind him. He subconsciously sped up, and only when they reached the dusty skywalk, he realized he didn’t know where to lead. The second he turned around, the shadow was right there, half an inch away, so Gray almost touched its collarbones with his nose.
With a decisive push, he created some distance. “Back off, okay?”
The shadow stilled, its shoulders rising and falling rapidly. “But—”
“There’s no buts. You can’t just walk into me like that. Stay at an arm’s length at least,” Gray said, confused by the shadow’s meek demeanor. The thing looked like the stuff of nightmares, but whatever Baal’s plan for the shadow was, it wasn’t a menacing presence.
The shadow stepped back as asked, but put its hands on Gray’s shoulders. “Enough?”
Gray shook them off, weirdly offended that the monster had more than one. More than two even. “No need to touch me. Let’s go outside,” he said and marched across the skywalk, constantly aware of the non-existing breath on his neck.
“I’m your shadow,” the creature said as if it wanted to make a point, but Gray had no idea what point that could be.
“My shadow didn’t speak. And it definitely shouldn’t have four arms,” Gray said through clenched teeth.
With all the inhabitants of the clubhouse gathered for the barbeque, the corridors were empty, but he still took his time making sure they remained undiscovered before leading the shadow though the maze of hallways and rooms. Although so familiar, the long unlit corridors had an odd atmosphere. As if the whole building were holding its breath, waiting what the night would bring.
When they eventually left the building and faced the woods surrounding the clubhouse, Gray couldn’t help but let out a breath of relief. It was now dark enough for them to move unnoticed.
Only then did he realize that the creature had shut up and stayed half a step behind him. So it did listen. Maybe the next two months would be a bit more bearable than he’d originally assumed.
“Where is that chest?” Gray asked, glancing back at the figure so black it seemed to melt into the darkness around it. Maybe Gray could just tell it to stay hidden in the woods once it had the body it needed? Then again, if he was to protect it and bring it to the stones three times, he had to make sure no one shot the thing after witnessing it walk between the trees.
The monster grabbed Gray’s hand and pulled on it, leading the way through the thickest bushes. Gray wanted to protest but ultimately decided it would be safest if he followed the shadow’s needs tonight if he was to leave his brothers undisturbed. They would find out, of course, but this was ultimately his problem to deal with. After almost a month of constantly working while he amused himself in the hospital, they didn’t need this kind of shit to spoil their evening off. Difficult truths could wait until tomorrow.
“No one can see us, do you understand?” Gray asked, straining his eyes as they marched between the trees, where even the sparse light of the new moon barely reached them.
The shadow turned its head toward Gray, but never stopped its march. “Why?”
What was this thing? A toddler? “Because I say so.”
“I understand.”
Gray made sure to not show his surprise at how pliant the shadow was. He didn’t keep pushing for answers and did as told, which wasn’t exactly the kind of behavior Gray expected from a weird demon-like entity, but he didn’t want to push his luck and just followed the shadow’s lead despite the thick undergrowth pulling at his feet.
They eventually emerged from between the trees, and walked through a grassy meadow, which made Gray glad that he could at least see a bit more clearly. But then they left the grass and started the descent down a sandy shore, toward the lake glistening in the faint moonlight. Shadow showed no intention of slowing down, and when they reached the narrow strip of the beach, Gray dug his heels into the ground, squeezing the hand that was squishy and soft like a down comforter.
“Stop. What are you doing?”
The shadow’s feet were already ankle-deep in water when he stopped. “My chest. My body. A body for me.”
Gray cursed beneath his breath and yanked at the shadow so hard they both stumbled and fell into the sand. Gray braced himself for the creature’s weight to knock the breath out of him, but when it fell on top, it was like having a warm blanket thrown over him.
“I can’t get in there. Do you breathe underwater?”
“I don’t breathe.” The creature took advantage of the situation and once more hugged Gray with all four arms.